Access concerns River Ryan woman

Beverly Joyce of Ratchford Street, River Ryan, stands by snow plowed up at a barrier that prevents thru traffic from James Street onto Ratchford Street. Joyce said the barrier was designed to prevent thru traffic while still allowing access to emergency vehicles, but with the plows piling snow in the area, access would not be possible. - Sharon Montgomery-Dupe

No complaints received about snow buildup at permanent barrier

RIVER RYAN, N.S. - A River Ryan woman says snowplow operators are blocking an emergency access to Greenfield Elementary School.

Beverly Joyce of Ratchford Street said although there is a permanent barrier preventing thru traffic from James Street to the adjoining Ratchford Street, the barrier was built to still allow emergency vehicle access.

However Joyce said snowplow operators plow snow on both sides of the barrier, eliminating any chance of access.

“If anything happened at the school in the winter and fire trucks had to come in from other places and wanted to use Ratchford Street they wouldn’t get through due to the amount of snow piled up there.”

Paul Oldford, director of operations for the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board, said he checked with Greenfield school and the transportation department and neither have received any complaints about the snow covering the barrier.

Oldford said this is really more of a community issue than a school matter.

Joyce, who has no children at the school, said there are times when there is a lot of traffic in the area such as when there are concerts at the school.

“Emergency vehicles can access James Street through Ratchford other times of the year but in the winter they wouldn’t have a prayer.”

Greenfield school is located on James Street. After it was built 18 years ago, a barrier was erected preventing thru traffic access to the adjoining Ratchford Street, which exits onto Union Highway. As a result both streets became dead end streets.

In the fall of 2016, after New Waterford elementary schools closed and students were amalgamated into Greenfield school, James Street was extended onto a new road built by the province — Queen Street Extension — that opens to Union Highway.

Robert Nearing, manager of Cape Breton Regional Municipality public works in east division, said the snow can be removed from the barrier, but they were unaware of the issue because they received no complaints.

“We’re getting equipment there to remove it as soon as possible. We’ve never received a request to remove any snow from there.”

Nearing said James Street is owned and maintained by the province so the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal is responsible for the street while the CBRM is responsible for Ratchford Street.

Nearing said the barricade between James and Ratchford streets was put in place by the province about 18 years ago because of sight lines involving traffic trying to turn from Ratchford Street onto Union Highway.

“That’s the reason for the restriction, with the blind crest it’s a traffic issue more than it’s a an access issue.

“I understand now that it’s brought up but we never received a request (to plow the area).”

Nearing said he spoke to officials with the Department of Transportation who said they would keep their end clear as well.

About 18 years ago when the school first opened and the barrier was erected, Joyce raised concerns about the lack of an emergency exit for the school.

Harold Williamson, the now retired chief of the Scotchtown fire department, was also concerned about the lack of an exit and advocated for the barriers to be removed. The barrier wasn’t removed but was changed so emergency vehicles could drive over it.

Williamson said part of the arrangement, as he understood it 18 years ago, was that the area would be kept clear of snow all winter.

“They’re suppose to be keeping it clear so emergency vehicles can get over it but they aren’t doing it,” he said. “They kept it clear of snow for the first couple of years and then stopped.”

Williamson said in the event of an emergency any additional access could make a difference.

Fire Chief Raymond Eksal of the Scotchtown department said anything that hampers access to a public school is always a concern and although they now have the new Queen Street Extension, Ratchford should be kept clear as well.

“Queen Street Extension does take a little bit of the load off but when it’s about a school and a high traffic area, the more access you have the better, especially when kids are being transported.”